The lighthouse is part of the South Bruny National Park, and guided tours provide insights into its rich history, including the shipwrecks nearby and the trials and hardships of lighthouse keeper life—these stories come directly from some of the last Tasmanian lighthouse keepers. Visitors can climb to the top and onto the balcony for stunning coastline views. Guided tours of Cape Bruny Lighthouse are typically included on day tours of Bruny Island departing from Hobart and multi-day tours.
Visitors can only enter the lighthouse with a tour. Guided tours should be booked in advance.
Reaching the lighthouse requires a steep uphill walk.
Keep your eyes peeled for migrating humpback and southern right whales often spotted from the lighthouse.
Cape Bruny Lighthouse is around a 75-minute drive from the Bruny Island ferry terminal at Roberts Point (which is a 15-minute ferry ride from Kettering on the main island of Tasmania). From there, follow the Bruny Island Main Road south through Alonnah, then take a right onto Lighthouse Rd (C629). Follow the road for a further 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) until you reach the Cape Bruny parking lot at Cape Bruny.
The lighthouse grounds are open daily, but vehicle access is limited to mid-morning until late afternoon. Guided tours run throughout the day and last 20–30 minutes. One of the best times to visit the lighthouse is dusk as the sun sets over Tasmania’s South West Wilderness region. For this reason, the lighthouse offers special sunset tours on Friday and Saturday evenings.
It’s well worth exploring more of the rugged South Bruny National Park, which is home to some of Australia’s highest sea cliffs and all 12 of Tasmania’s endemic birds, including the endangered forty-spotted pardalote, as well as rare white wallabies. Several hiking trails of varying lengths run through the park.